


Caldera

by orphan_account



Category: RWBY
Genre: Character Study, Implied/Referenced Abuse, One Shot, Other, aka new baby blues, no beta we die like men, post partum depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:00:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22687369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Whitley.”She jumped as if struck by lightning.“What?”“Whitley.” He said again, his voice a devoid of emotion. “The boy’s name. It’s Whitley.”
Relationships: Whitley Schnee & Willow Schnee, Willow Schnee & Jacques Schnee
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37





	Caldera

* * *

_You share my blood and were born from me_

_The thought I’d like to meet you was just a passing fancy_

_Even when you were in my womb_

_I prayed for happiness_

_It’s so sad that I could almost break down_

_And confess everything in front of anybody without regrets_

* * *

Willow Schnee looked outside the hospital window vacantly. The winter skies obscured any trace of sunlight and the barren trees shook like stalks of wheat in the Atlas winds. As she watched in a daze, a small sound drew her attention and she felt somewhat surprised to see a soft pink face scrunching up under a cover of blankets.

That’s right, Willow thought distantly as her hand automatically went to brush the baby’s head. She had just given birth to her third child.

Her first son.

As the infant cooed, she felt a little concerned but brushed it away. It was just the weather. She was exhausted and everything was going to be fine.

She began to reminisce on her daughters, who were being taken care of in the Schnee Manor by their butler, Klein. Remembering their excitement was enough to bring a smile to her face. They were excited to have a younger brother, coming up with names and future games they would play together. Looking back on it now, Willow wished she had let them come with her to the hospital, and maybe then she would feel something more, but Jacques was adamant that she was to be undisturbed.

And as much as she hated to admit it, it made her happy.

Jacques was always the man who knew what needed to be done. It was what drew her to him years ago, despite his humble beginnings. He was always honest and pragmatic about everything, she found it charming when he would go on about having a future together and ideas about rebranding the SDC as something bigger. Of course, her family weren’t very pleased at some of his ideas. They’d warn her against marrying him, even going as far as banning him from the family house. But once time came for her to inherit the company, she decided to give him a chance.

And he succeeded.

Jacques expanded the company at a staggering rate, the profits were jumping each week, and amid their success, they were blessed with two daughters.

But things began to change, and Jacques no longer came home on time. He spent more time in his office, taking phone calls and going to meetings, and when he was home, he locked himself in his study with nothing but a bottle of expensive whiskey. It was then she began to worry.

Willow tried to get him involved with his daughters- take them sightseeing or out for lunch, anything, but all her attempts only agitated him and backfire onto the girls. Willow quickly stopped and hoped that her daughters would understand when they got older, that their father was under a lot of stress and that they were lucky to live like they did because of his work. At least, that’s how she thought of it.

But as Weiss began attending school, Willow found herself more empty than anything. She tried several hobbies- knitting, painting, writing—but nothing seemed to help. When she discussed this with Klein, he encouraged her to find a part time job- but after telling this to Jacques, he assured her that even if nobody would hire a mother of two with no job experience, he would always provide for her. And somehow, she’d lost her taste for job hunting.

The loneliness reached a peak one day while the girls were in school.

Willow stormed into his study and demanded a divorce, throwing things and shouting atrocities that she never knew she had in her. And as their eyes met, she was brought back into the present, standing in the mess she made.

And gently, like the day they first met, Jacques held her as she sobbed on his shoulder.

When Willow found out she had a son, she was excited, but when she told Jacques, and saw the smile on his face, her heart felt as if it were about to burst and that life was about to be normal like it was once upon a time.

For a few weeks, it did improve. Jacques came home earlier, treating her gently and with care. He’d even look after Winter and Weiss for a few hours before Klein would set them off to bed. It was a shame Jacques hated photos, because Willow was certain she would have taken enough pictures to fill at least three album books.

See? She thought to herself as Jacques brushed Winter’s hair in the living room. He’s still the man I fell in love with. This wasn’t a mistake.

But come the next month, he began slipping away. Back to work and shutting himself off in his study, as if everything before was of a different person. She wanted to ask him questions, but it was never the right time. Winter began to lash out while Weiss demanded more attention, and Willow found herself lost to anxiety once again.

One day, as Jacques passed her in the halls on his way to work, he said something to her.

“Whitley.”

She jumped as if struck by lightning.

“What?”

“Whitley.” He said again, his voice a devoid of emotion. “The boy’s name. It’s Whitley.”

Then he continued to the front door as Willow continued to stand in place. It felt as if rain had finally fallen over a desert and a smile found its way to her face for the whole day.

Whitley, Whitley, she repeated it to herself as if she were afraid of forgetting. Their son would be named Whitley. She was surprised by how _sensitive_ the name felt on her tongue, intelligent, pure. As she told Klein on an afternoon stroll, he told her it was a... ‘unique’ name for a boy. She didn’t care, if anything, it made resolve even stronger.

As Willow settled herself for bed, she remembered suggesting the name Winter years ago. Jacques had said it was plain, but plain wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. In return, he decided the name for their second child, Albus for a boy, Weiss for a girl. He said it was much more intelligent and fitting of a Schnee.

But she looked back to her arms, the baby- Whitley- was smiling at her, toothless and fragile.

And her heart remained still.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this drabble while listening to Caldera by Kuroki Nagisa (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOjVgvvp6X0)  
> This was maybe around episode 8 of Volume 7? My impression of Willow was that, compared to Weiss and Winter, she was more detached towards Whitley. Of course, Jacques is over-glorified here because it's Willow's PoV.


End file.
